Will Croatia see a White Christmas this year?

Zagreb (Photo: Boška i Krešo/Zagreb Tourist Board)

With Christmas just days away, the familiar festive question returns across Croatia: will there finally be a White Christmas?

In recent years, snow on Christmas Day has become increasingly rare. In fact, the last official White Christmas in Croatia dates back to 2007.

To officially qualify as a White Christmas, there must be at least 2.5 centimetres (one inch) of snow on the ground by 7 a.m. on Christmas morning. Importantly, snowfall does not need to occur on Christmas Day itself, snow that has fallen earlier and remains on the ground is sufficient.

Christmas 2007 remains etched in the memories of many Croatians. Zagreb awoke to a picturesque blanket of 11 centimetres of snow, creating a classic festive scene.

The same depth was recorded in Karlovac following snowfall on Christmas Eve. Snow also covered parts of Gorski Kotar, Slavonia and Lika, making it a truly white Christmas across much of the country.

Could Snow Return This Christmas?

Looking ahead to this year, long-range forecasts are offering a glimmer of hope, particularly for inland areas.

According to some forecasts, snowflakes are now being predicted for Christmas Day in Zagreb, with similar indications for other continental cities, but nothing significant. 

Zagreb (Yr.no)

If these forecasts prove accurate, snowfall may begin on 25 December and continue into 26 December. In some areas, particularly in higher elevations such as Delnice and Vrbovsko, snow could even start falling on Christmas Eve and persist through Christmas Day and beyond.

Delnice (Yr.no)

However, it is important to approach these predictions with caution. Long-term weather forecasts are inherently less reliable, and conditions may still change as Christmas approaches.